Cylindrical grain dryer device



Oct. 3, 1 967 A. 1.. PETERSON CYLINDRICAL GRAIN DRYER DEVICE- 2 Shets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb.

FIG

INVENTOR Alice L. Peterson FIG.8.

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,344,533 CYLINDRICAL GRAIN DRYER DEVICE Alice L. Peterson, 825 James Ave., East Grand Forks, Minn. 56721- Filed Feb. 1, 1966, Ser. No. 524,065 3 Claims. (Cl. 34-230) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention is a grain drying device comprising'an elongated cylindrical screen body adapted to be positioned within a bin having a fan mounted in the body and a shaft extending longitudinally through the body, with a motor mounted at the upper end of the screen body and an auger mounted to the shaft below the screen body, said device adapted to have its lower end introduced into particles in the bin with said auger acting to draw the dtvice into the particles in the bin, with a heating coil mounted in the body to dry the particles in the bin.

This invention relates to drying apparatus, more particularly, the invention relates to grain drying apparatus.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel portable grain drying device which may be introduced into the grain at various locations and air may be forced against the grain to dry the grain.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel portable grain drying device which may power its way into the grain and thereafter dry the grain.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel drying apparatus, which can be inexpensively made and easily operated for drying commodities such as grain.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds and when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 illustrates the first form of grain drying device operatively installed in a grain bin, with a cut away view of the grain bin.

FIGURE 2 is a top view of the first form of grain drying invention.

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the first form of grain drying invention taken along line 33 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view of the first form of grain drying invention taken along line 44 of FIG- URE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary view of the lower end of the first form of grain drying invention.

FIGURE 6 is a side elevational view of a second modified form of grain drying invention, illustrated in operative position in a grain bin, with a cut away showing of the grain bin. 6

FIGURE 7 is a top plan view of the second modified form of grain drying invention in a grain bin, with a cut away showing of the grain bin.

FIGURE 8 is a top elevational view of a third modified form of grain drying invention with the grain bin cut away.

FIGURE 9 is a side elevational view of the third modified form of grain drying invention shown in opertaive position in a grain bin, with the grain bin cut away.

Briefly stated the invention comprises a cylindrical screen, having a pair of handles at the top, a shaft running longitudinally through the center of the cylindrical screen, an auger fixed to the lower end of the shaft, said shaft being rotatably mounted axially in the cylindrical screen, and a motor mounted to the top of the screen to rotate the shaft and anger, fan and heating means within 3,344,533 I Patented Oct. 3, 1967 the screen to draw air into the screen and heat the air and force it against the grain to heat and dry the grain.

Referring more particularly to the drawings in FIG- URE l, the first form of grain drying invention 20 is illustrated in a grain bin 21 having grain 22 filled to the level indicated by numeral 23.

The grain drying invention has a cylindrical screen 24 which forms the body of the invention. A shaft 25 runs longitudinally through the center of the screen. The screen 24 has upper disc cap 26 which closes the upper end of the screen. I

At the lower end of the cylindrical screen 24 is a spherical screen portion 27. A reversible electric motor 28 is fixed to the top cap 26 and it drives the shaft 25 to rotate the shaft to screen.

Within the screen are four fan motors 28, 28', 29 and 29', with their corresponding fans 30. Four heating coils 33, 33, 34, and 34 are mounted in front of the fans. Four switches 35, 35', 36, and 36' are mounted on the top cap 26 to turn the fan motors on and off. Four thermostatic controlled switches 37, 37' 38, and 38' control the heating coils 35, 35, 36, and 36 respectively.

Wires 39, connect the switches 35, 35, 36, and 36' to the motors 28, 28, 29, and 29 respectively and wires 40 connect the switches 37, 37', and 38, 38' to the heating coils 35, 35', 36, and 36', and the switches and the motor are connected to a source of current.

The fans and coils are fixed Within the screen by bracing rods 41.

At the lower end of the shaft is an auger 42, which has an ever increasing diameter from the bottom to the top to facilitate drawing the grain drying cylinder 24 into the grain. I

The grain drying device is operated by turning on the motor 28 which causes the shaft 25 to rotate and the auger 42 fixed to the lower end of the shaft 25 rotates therewith. The grain drying device 20 is inserted into the top of the grain 22 in the bin 21, and the rotation of the auger 42 draws the grain drying device downward into the grain until the fiat bottom 43 of the shaft 25 abuts the bottom 44 of the bin, or until the motor 28 is turned oif.

The fan and heating coils may then be turned on by their switches to force heated air out the screen to heat the grain.

The grain drying device 20 may be removed by reversing the motor 28, which rotates the auger in the opposite direction forcing the drying device 20 upward and out of the grain.

The grain drying device 20 may be moved to different spots in the grain and reintroduced by using the auger 42 for drying the grain.

The upper portion 43 of the screen 24 will project above the level 23 of the grain to provide an air inlet for the fans in the screen.

The lower end 27 of the screen cylinder 24 is spherical to facilitate drawing the screen cylinder 24 into the grain.

The screen cylinder 22 has four screen doors 43, with four openings 44 into the screen cylinder 22 for access to the heating coils and fans for maintenance and repair.

The screen doors 43 are pivotally mounted to the cylinder 22, by U-shaped 'hooks 45, mounted to the cylinder 22 for the doors to swing about. A hook 46 is mounted to each door 43 and hook into the cylinder 22 to lock the door 43 closed.

Second modified form of grain drying device The second modified form of grain drying device 47 has an elongated cylindrical screen body 48, with two fans 49 and 50 mounted at each end of the body 48 and two heating coils 51 and 52.

A screen air intake tube 53 projects inwardly from the opening in the side of the grain bin 54 and communicates 3 with the cylinder 48 centrally of the length of the cylinder 48 to provide air from outside the bin into the cylinder 48.

Switches 55 and 55' mounted to the outside of the bin 54 control fan 49 and heating coil 51 respectively in the cylinder 48 through wires 56, which wire runs from the switches through the air intake tube 53 to the fan and heating coil.

Switches 57 and 57' mounted to the outside wall of the bin 54 control fan 50 and heating coil 52 respectively in the cylinder 48 through wires 58 which wires run from the switches through the air intake tube 53 to the fan and heating coil.

Four screen cylindrical tubes.59, 60, 61, and 62 extend diagonally from the corners of the cylindrical screen 48 and receive the hot air heated by the coils and forced into the tubes by the fans 49 and 50, from the screen body 48 and the air in the tubes 59-62 forced against the grain 63 acts to dry the grain 63.

Third modified form. grain. drying device The third modified form of grain drying device 64 is illustrated in FIGURES 8 and 9 and has an upright screen cylinder 65 mounted in the grain 66 of the bin 67. A shaft 68 runs coaxially through the cylinder 65. A motor 69 is fixed to the upper end 66 of the screen cylinder and powers the shaft 68, and the shaft 68 has an auger 70 fixed to its lower end, so that the rotation of the shaft 68 causes the rotation of the auger 70.

A heating coil 71 is mounted about the shaft 68 and a fan 72 is rotatably mounted to the shaft 68 by a collar 73. A motor 74 drives the collar 73 to rotate the fan 72 to draw air downward through the heating coil 71 and diagonally outward into the four diagonal cylindrical screen tubes 75, 76, 77, and 78 fixed to the lower end of the upright screen cylinder 65 to heat the grain 66 in the bin 67.

The auger 70 rotates to agitate the grain 66 in the bin 77.

Thus, it will be seen that a novel grain drying invention has been provided for inexpensive drying of grain bins.

It will be obvious that various changes and departures may be made to the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and accordingly it is not intended that the invention be limited to that specifically described in the specification or illustrated in the drawings but only as set forth in the appended claims wherein what is claimed is:

1. A grain drying device comprising an elongated cylindrical upright body having a portion formed of perforated material and adapted to be positioned in a bin, a fan mounted within the body to dry particles in the bin, a shaft extending longitudinally through the body, a motor mounted to the upper end of the body to power the shaft, an auger mounted to the shaft below the body, said device being adapted to have its lower end introduced into particles in the bin with said auger acting to draw the body into the particles in the bin.

2. A grain drying device comprising an elongated cylindrical upright screen body adapted to be positioned in a bin, a fan mounted in the screen body and a heating coil mounted within the screen body to dry particles in the bin, a shaft running longitudinally and axially through the screen body with a motor at the upper end of the body to rotate the shaft, an anger mounted to the lower end of the shaft below the screen body and acting to rotate with the shaft to agitate the particles in the bin, four screen tubes extending laterally and diagonally from one another and away from the screen body to transmit air from the body to the outer areas of the bin.

3. A grain drying device according to claim 1, wherein a heating coil is mounted within the body.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,126,107 8/1938 Gordon 98-55 2,196,391 4/ 1940 Gronert 98-56 2,593,867 4/1952 Eweson 34-181 2,765,542 10/1956 Collins et a1. 34-229 2,966,110 12/1960 Burfield et al. 98-57 3,044,182 7/ 1962 Steffen 98-55 X 3,199,434 8/1965 Piel 98-55 FREDERICK L. MATTESON, JR., Primary Examiner.

A. D. HERRMANN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A GRAIN DRYING SERVICE COMPRISING AN ELONGATED CYLINDRICAL UPRIGHT BODY HAVING A PORTION FORMED OF PERFORATED MATERIAL AND ADAPTED TO BE POSITIONED IN A BIN, A FAN MOUNTED WITHIN THE BODY TO DRY PARTICLES IN THE BIN, A SHAFT EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY THROUGH THE BODY, A MOTOR MOUNTED TO THE UPPER END OF THE BODY TO POWER THE SHAFT, AN AUGER MOUNTED TO THE SHAFT BELOW THE BODY, SAID DEVICE BEING ADAPTED TO HAVE ITS LOWER END INTRODUCED INTO PARTICLES IN THE BIN WITH SAID AUGER ACTING TO DRAW THE BODY INTO THE PARTICLES IN THE BIN. 